Re: CAS had "stinkers"...how about HPL?
Posted by:
Sawfish (IP Logged)
Date: 27 August, 2020 10:31AM
Knygatin Wrote:
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> Hespire Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Every time I post an opinion on this site, no
> > matter how foolhardy or enthusiastic I sound,
> it's
> > always with doubt and anxiety. It's why I felt
> a
> > little bad when considering which of CAS'
> stories
> > are "stinkers", fearing both disapproving
> members
> > and the imaginary ghost of CAS, and why I
> insisted
> > that other people here are better at discussing
> > HPL's stories than me. Funny you share your
> > experience with a Japanese wife, because my
> > Japanese mother definitely instilled this in
> me.
> >
>
> This is all very interesting. And it illuminates
> some of the difference between European culture
> and Japanese culture. The ideas of democracy
> (Greece) and freedom of speech (Voltaire) are very
> much European ideas, and are not automatically
> taken for granted in other parts of the World. I
> don't believe Japan has any particular traditions
> of free speech or open arguments. But on the other
> hand, Japan has other (correct me if I am
> mistaken) cultural values, such as serving,
> discipline, respect for authority, perfecting of
> skills, dignity, and honor; qualities which in
> themselves can be of great value, and in part
> explains why Japan has become such a successful
> and stable nation. (Don't know if the same things
> can be said for Asian culture generally; but China
> is not quite the same, with a greater focus on
> total and silent obedience. Not sure how the
> situation was in China before the Revolution, but
> culture and art were certainly much higher
> standing; in other words, individual talent was
> favored.).
While I deeply believe that ultimately, human interaction between individuals is ultimately what is the defining nature of that relationship, it is also fair and mostly justifiable to make cultural generalization, as a sort of "first cut" in understanding an emerging social dynamic when dealing with those of a differing cultural background.
Those who are less generous tend to call this "prejudice", but in fact, one's personal ability to make considered judgements about emerging situations is the single biggest source of personal power/authority, or, if poorly done, self-inflicted misery, that one has in one's life.
In my observation, the simplest difference between Japanese and Chinese contemporary cultural norms is that a granular level of subservience is evident in Japanese culture and less evident in Chinese. By this I mean that the ***tendency*** in Japanese culture seems to me that many more socially-recognized "castes" existed at one time and much of the baggage from this carries on to this day, such that when any two individuals meet, the relative ranking must be sorted out before proceeding. Perhaps this is a by-product of a form of feudalism that was present in Japan, and relative to Chinese levels of social organization, more recently, historically.
In contemporary society the differences in "caste" have eroded, but what remains is the elaborate social "politeness". My best guess, therefore, is that what appears to the western eye to be a concern with politeness is simply an evolved response of subservience to a (potentially) higher caste member--one who in former times had life or death power over you.
You'll note in contemporary business relationships among Japanese, a level of vocal restraint by those of less status, and a heightened vocal projection, often terse, in response from those who are of higher status, as they relate to each other.
Now, my wife of 35 years is 2 generations removed from this (just as I'm 2 gen removed from my cultural forebears--but from the other side of the globe), and also from Hawaii--which is pretty laid back, relaxed. Much of this has eroded, but over the years she shares with me the sort of stuff she had seen from the older folks, right straight from Japan, and sometimes she'll mention something we see on TV, a certain expressed attitude or tendency.
I have had less exposure to contemporary Chinese culture, but what I've seen of it is much less of this sort of fixed social status response as there is among contemporary Japanese.
These are only my own opinions an therefore subject to flaw.
--Sawfish
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"The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
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